Our Mothers
by Rikku'sBrunetteDouble
Summary: Paine shows Baralai something special and ends up with another piece to her heart. Given: PainexBaralai not main part of the story though
1. It's Time to Let Go

**It's Time to Let Go**

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone at all except the obviously made-up characters.

"Baralai," she said with concern in her voice, "I have to tell you something that I've kept inside of me for a long time."

"Paine, what is it?" asked Baralai with worry as he sat up in their bed. Ever since Baralai and Paine had gotten married a month ago, Paine would wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. She said it was just her sad past, haunting her, but refused to elaborate.

Paine lit candles. "Look into my eyes," she asked of her husband. Baralai took a moment and then gazed into her eyes. He could not help but get lost in them. They were like pools of blood. Haunting, but beautiful, and so flawless. But suddenly he snapped back into reality and took a look. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but suddenly there was movement in her eyes. It took the form of a woman falling, dead, into the rubble of what was once a house. The woman fell next to who appeared to be her husband, or her lover. The woman had long, dark hair but pale skin and red eyes like the beholder. The man had short grey hair like Baralai's wife, but his eyes were closed. They both looked not even twenty years old.

"This is your dream?" asked Baralai, knowing the answer before he asked, "And they were your parents." Paine just nodded. Baralai averted his gaze to the whole face of his beloved before wiping the tears that had begun to mist over and threatened to fall from her eyes.

Paine got up and got out a pouch that she kept hidden from sight. From it she shakily pulled out a pyrefly and held it in the flat of her hand. "This is all I've had to remember my mother by until now," she said, "I was only an infant when Sin came and destroyed the village I lived in. I was taken in by the temple and _cared for_." Her last two words were harsh and brittle, "They ignored me, aside from giving me food, clothes, and water. They didn't care where I was, so long as I was out of the way and quiet. When the maesters came, they threatened to kill me or throw me out if I misbehaved or told them how they treated me. Onetime I almost told. They beat me until I was bloody. And they gave me a horrible scar," she said, tracing her finger down a line from her left shoulder to her right hip." Paine was crying openly now and Baralai held her in his arms, tenderly.  
When Paine was ready to continue, she did. "I ran away that day. I was ten years old. I had been living in Djose at the time, so I decided to go to the innkeepers in Guadosalam. They were a lovely Al Bhed family who our family was great friends with. But when I arrived, I learned that they had been killed by Sin also. They had been coming to Kilika as a surprise visit. Iran into the Farplane to try to call my parents, but they did not come. Instead came the Al Bhed family I wanted to see. They told me that my parents had not been sent. But they somehow gave me a pouch. It contained a single pyrefly in it and a necklace. They told me that they were my mother's, both the pyrefly and the necklace. They also handed me a sword. They told me it had been my father's. I left the Farplane and went to the deserted inn. I knew that the family speaking to me in the Farplane was very rare, so I took it as a sign that I was meant to live. At night when I was curled up in a bed at the inn, now my home, I let the pyre fly's sad songs lull me to sleep, its sighs so mournful and peaceful. I sometimes thought of returning to the temple. But I knew I couldn't. They wouldn't take me in. But one day, as I was going off to visit the family in the Farplane, a Guado man came up to me and kicked me. He then started to beat me. I recognized him once he hit my scar. He was one of the people who visited. The people at Djose must have told him about me. As I was lying on the ground in front of the Farplane, a couple stumbled over me. They were kind to me. I took them to be a newly-married couple. The man was a regular human like us, but the woman was an Al Bhed. I don't know why, but when they asked what was wrong, I told them absolutely everything. They decided to take me to their home in Kilika with them. Asia left Guadosalam, I saw a faint ghost of the innkeeper wave goodbye to me. I then understood that they had willed this good fortune to me. I became the daughter of the family and grew up with them for five happy years in Kilika. But then Sin attacked, killing both of them and the rest of the housed on our dock. I joined the Crimson Squad to start anew. I was feeling a mix of emotions: angry at Sin, hurt by having two families destroyed, but also hopeful that this new me would be a better one. But after that, I vowed to stay away from the happy emotions, knowing I could get crushed again. But you and Nooj and Gippal became my family and I learned how to feel happiness and trust again. I loved all of you. But you helped me the most. And I thank you. _E muja oui._"

When Paine finished, Baralai found that they both were crying. But he had to wonder. "What was it time for?" he asked.

"I've held this inside of me for so long," Paine replied, and after a long pause added, "And it's time to let go."

_E muja oui- _I love you

Well, what did you think? This was kind of a spur-of-the-moment story. I had an idea, what does Paine keep in a secret pouch? I answered that one: a pyrefly. If you are going to flame, be gentle, but please review. I want to know how I am doing.


	2. Transformations

**Chapter 2: Transformation**

(AN: I just had an idea for this and I own nothing.)

Paine woke up the next morning, her eyes burning and her head aching. Suddenly, last night came rushing to her. She had told Baralai why she was hurting so and how she wanted to let go. She instantly regretted it. As a small child after her parents died, she vowed to never let go of what she was deprived of. She reached into the pouch that she kept the pyrefly in to find it missing. Sinking to the floor, Paine wept. She had lost the only thing that made her remember her mother at all.

A woman walked over and put a hand on Paine's back. She eased her to her feet and brought her chin up. The woman had long dark hair, fiery red eyes, smooth pale skin, and long delicate fingers. Paine was taken aback but didn't do anything.

"My little Paine," was all that the woman said.

"Mother," whispered Paine, but that was all she could say, because her mother suddenly faded into her body and everything went black.

Baralai found his wife kneeling on the floor, unconscious hours later. He picked her up and laid her on the bed. Paine woke up at this and opened her eyes. Her husband bent down to kiss her.

"Why did you faint?" asked Baralai after they parted.

Paine decided to keep the day a secret. She hadn't been able to really think about it. Now she wasn't even sure that it had really happened. But she had fainted, and her pyrefly was still missing, so it must have been fact.

"I got up too fast and fell over. I must have gotten knocked out," she explained hopefully. Baralai seemed to buy it and they both got ready for going out, as Rikku and Gippal had invited Tidus, Yuna, Nooj, Lulu, Wakka, and Kimahri along with Paine and Baralai for their anniversary. Paine was just about to walk out the door with her husband, when she broke into a run. She couldn't face him. Even though they just lived a few miles from the happy couple, and they were already early, she just couldn't stand the thought of walking for fifteen minutes and talking about her past. Letting go was supposed to free the anxiety, but it backfired and just thinking about it was painful.

She heard Baralai calling to her, but Paine just kept running. As she ran, something happened. The world around her began to slow. Her hair began to grow and turn black. Her eyes flared a violent crimson twice as red as before. Her skin paled more and she grew taller. Paine didn't even notice this as she was running. Her eyes began to water and her vision blurred. She collapsed into Rikku and Gippal's house and fell unconscious.

Rikku heard a thud and left her post setting the table to see what it was. She found a tall woman with long black hair, a tall lanky figure, and very pale skin. She was wondering who it was as she looked for a clue. She always knew her friends well enough to recognize at least something. But she found a scar running down from her left shoulder to her right hip. She shook the woman awake.

"Rikku?" asked the woman as she opened her crimson eyes.

"Who are you?" asked Rikku, a bit disturbed at this mystery woman having the same scar as Paine and knowing her name.

"Ah," she chuckled, "you forgot my name again. Minus 1 respect point."

"Paine?" gasped Rikku. Paine nodded.

"If you were going to get a makeover, you could have at least told me," whined the blonde Al Bhed.

"What in the Farplane are you talking about?" asked the new Paine, a quizzical look painted on her face. Rikku helped her stand up and guided Paine to a mirror in the bedroom.

"Mother…" Paine paled from ivory to snow.

"What happened?" asked Rikku shakily. But all Paine could do was stare, tears brimming from her eyes, threatening to fall.

Paine finally regained her composure and realized that the morning was, in fact, a reality.

"Tell, me," Rikku said, quivering, "what is causing this?"

Paine suddenly felt so confused. But at least she had a friend. Telling Baralai would only make him worry and never leave her to think. But Rikku was different. She liked to solve problems without help. Deciding to do something she hadn't done in a long time, Paine took a wild chance and told Rikku everything up to falling unconscious in their doorway.

"Well, I know what it is," Rikku said finally.

"What is it?" asked Paine, her eyes suddenly lighting up.

Rikku took a step back and spread her arms. She began to glow. The light around her grew until Paine had to shield her eyes. When the light subsided, an Al Bhed with short blonde hair, skin the color of Baralai's, and about the size of Cid stepped forwards.

"Cid gave me the pyrefly he caught from Nola's sending. Nola, my mother, appeared to me one day and her pyrefly faded into me," Rikku explained.

"Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" asked Paine, still a little freaked out.

"It is an honor to become one with the dead," said Rikku in a voice unlike her own.

"What kind of honor? What are we supposed to do?" asked Paine exasperatedly.

"We're supposed to-" Rikku was cut off.

"Honey, Baralai is here and needs to talk to Pai- holy shit! It happened to her too?" Gippal opened the door.

"Good to see you Gippal," said Paine, a little uncomfortable.

Baralai ran into the room, "What happened? Is Paine okay?" he asked out of breath. Gippal gestured to the woman with ebony hair.

"What happened, Paine?" Baralai asked before realizing that his wife was transformed.

"Ask Rikku…" Paine said, bewildered.

Rikku stood up and spread her arms. She repeated her glowing process and changed back into her regular self.

"Paine and I have been chosen to relive our mother's lives, because they were killed by Sin and hadn't made their destined mark on the world. They had been created for a reason, but killed before it was recognized or fulfilled. We are to fulfill their destiny so that they can finally leave us and rest in peace," Rikku explained.

Everyone was stunned and didn't say anything. There were suddenly knocks at the door.

"Let's continue this after everything's over," Paine suggested as Gippal went downstairs to get the door.

"Sure, but first," Rikku put her hand to Paine's chest, "Let's make you yourself again." Paine became her likeness again and they went downstairs.


End file.
